Chap. 79.—An ACT to amend the Charter of Blacksburg.
Approved February 17, 1876.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly, That section
two of an act to amend and re-enact an act approved March
fifteen, eighteen hundred and seventy-five, entitled an act to
amend and re-enact the second section of an act approved
March twenty-eight, eighteen hundred and seventy-three,
entitled an act to amend and re-enact section two of an act
approved March two, eighteen hundred and seventy-one, en-
titled an act to incorporate the town of Blacksburg, in the
county of Montgomery, be amended and re-enacted s0 as to
read as follows: .

§ 2. The mayor and council now in office, and their succes-
sors, elected according to section fifteen, chapter fifty-four,
Code of eighteen hundred and seventy-three, and qualified
according to the twenty-third section of said chapter, shall
constitute the council of said town, and shall have power to
provide for keeping the streets in order and paving the same;
to keep the sidewalks in good order, free and clean, by the
owners or occupants thereof; and to provide for other neces-
sary improvements, for which purposes they may levy such
tax as they may deem proper, not exceeding forty cents on
the hundred dollars of property, nor exceeding fifty cents
poll-tax. The council shall also have authority to abate or
cause to be abated anything which, in the opinion of a ma-
jority of the whole council, shall be a nuisance; to provide
for the poor within the limits of the corporation; to provide
a revenue for the town and appropriate the same for its ex-
penses; to provide for the annual assessment of the taxable
property and persons of the town; to regulate and provide
for the weighing and measuring of hay, wood, coal, and
other articles sold or for sale in the said town; to adopt such
rules and regulations as they may deem necessary; to pre-
vent the running at large of hogs, dogs, horses, or other ani-
mals; and to prevent the cumbering of streets, sidewalks,
alleys, and bridges, in any manner whatever. The said
council shall have power to appoint a recorder, who shall
keep an accurate record of all its proceedings, by-laws, acts,
and orders, which shall be open to the inspection of any one
who is entitled to vote for members of council, and such
person so appointed as recorder, shall act as treasurer, whose
duty shall be prescribed by the council. The council may
appoint such other officers as they may deem proper, define
their powers, and prescribe their duties and compensation,
who may be removed from office at the pleasure of the coun-
cil. The council shall have power to pass all by-laws and
ordinances that they may deem necessary for regulating the
police, and preserving the peace, good order, and government
of the said town, not contrary to the constitution and laws
of Virginia, or the United States; and to prescribe, impose,
and enact reasonable fines or penalties, and imprisonment in
the county jail not exceeding thirty days; all of which fines,
penalties, or imprisonment shall be recovered before or en-
forced under the judgment of the mayor of said town, who
shall be invested with all power of a justice of the peace
within the limits of said town. The authorities of said
town, with the consent of the county court entered of re-
cord, shall have the mght to use the jail of the county of
Montgomery for any purpose for which the use of the jail
may be needed by them; and when any judgment shall have
been rendered against any person or persons for fines or pen-
alties, imposed by or incurred under this act, or the by-laws
and ordinances of the council, and there shall be no visible
effects which the sergeant may distrain and sell therefor, the
person or persons so in default may be compelled to work
out such fines or penalties on the public streets, alleys, or
other public improvements, under the general superintend-
ence of the sergeant, and under sucb rules and regulations
as may be deemed proper by the council. The sergeant of
said town shall be a conservator of the peace, and be invested
with the full powers of a constable within the limits of said
town; he shall have power to arrest offenders within one
mile of said limits, for offences committed within the limits
of said town; he shall collect the town taxes, and may dis-
train and sell therefor in like manner as a district collector
may distrain and sell for state taxes; and shall have in otber
respects like powers to enforce the collection thereof; he
shall perform all other acts appertaining to the office of ser-
geant of a corporation, and perform such other duties, and
receive such compensation as shall be fixed by the council.
Before entering upon the duties of his office, he shal! give
bond, with security, payable to the corporation, in such sum
as may be deemed proper by the council, conditioned for the
faithful discharge of his duties; he shall be removable from
office by the council for malfeasance or misfeasance in office.
The said town, and taxable persons and property therein,
shall be exempt and free from the payment of any poor rates
or road tax, and from contributing for any county expenses
for the poor, or the roads, and from working on roads out-
side of said corporation of said cuunty, for any year in
which said town shall, at its own expense, provide for its
own poor, and keep its own streets in order. Whenever
anything for which a state license is required, is to be done
within the limits of the said town, the council may require
a town license to be had for doing the same, and may impose
a tax thereon for the use of the town. The revenue from
these and other sources shall be collected, paid over, and ac-
counted for at such times and to such persons as the council
may order. The said council shall be subject to all the pro-
visions of the Code of Virginia, edition of eighteen hundred
and seventy-three, in reference to the government of towns
of less than five thousand inhabitants.
2. This act shall be in force from its passage.